Wednesday

Nov 7, 2018 at 12:11 PM

Nathaniel Philbrick has come full circle with his latest book “In the Hurricane’s Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory of Yorktown.” The nation’s first commander-in-chief takes center stage in the final volume of his American Revolution trilogy. And the portrayal of the general as a strategically superior planner may surprise some readers.

Instead of reluctant and timid as some history books depicts Washington, the military leader is described by Philbrick as a determined and calculating commander, constantly scanning the battle map for the right opportunity to batter the British in a decisive engagement and end the War for American Independence.

“What was amazing to me was Washington’s level of understanding of the overall strategy,” the best-selling author said in a recent interview (he will be in Kingston on Thursday, Nov. 15, to discuss his book). “A lot of people dismiss his generalship but he was really the only one who got it from the very beginning.”

What Washington “got” was the realization that naval superiority was essential to win the war. Unfortunately, the American navy was virtually nonexistent at that time. Taking control of the seas would require the resources and commitment of his French allies, who were disinclined to move their fleet north from protecting its interests in the Caribbean Sea.

“In the Hurricane’s Eye” is a rich and compelling narrative focusing on Washington’s oceanic efforts leading up to the climactic Battle of Yorktown in 1781. Philbrick, a lover of the sea, details the general’s grasp of developing an overarching strategy involving naval power. The author, who lives on Nantucket, was a competitive sailor and has written several books with seafaring as the focus, including “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex” and “Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War”.

Washington was featured prominently in Philbrick’s previous two books: “Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution” and “Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution.” Those volumes set the stage for this concluding work centering on the general as a master strategist.

“Washington knew the only way it was going to work was if the French could establish naval superiority on the Atlantic seaboard, thus enabling the Americans to be victorious on land and force Britain to the negotiating table,” Philbrick said.

The British had already embraced this stratagem. As the world’s pre-eminent military power of the day, England had flexed its might with the powerful Royal Navy, ably reinforcing the British army by sea at will and thus preventing the Americans from mounting any serious threat on land.

To break that stranglehold, Washington would need the help of the French navy – and Mother Nature. That’s where the book’s main title – “In the Hurricane’s Eye” – comes into play. This apt metaphor describes the circumstances surrounding the general’s dilemma and the natural forces that would change his – and America’s – destiny. In 1780, the year before Yorktown, a series of powerful hurricanes nearly destroyed the French fleet in the Caribbean, forcing it to relocate along America’s shores.

This turn of events was a godsend for Washington. He convinced the French admirals of the need to support American troops and the French army, then began setting the trap for Lord Cornwallis and his English army. French ships defeated the Royal Navy at the Battle of the Chesapeake and were able to protect Washington as he moved in for the kill at Yorktown.

“What's interesting about a hurricane is the tremendous forces that focus ultimately on the eye of the storm,” Philbrick said. “For me, that's where Washington was in all of this. He was always standing amid those incredible centrifugal forces, maintaining things so that they didn't spin out of control.”

Ultimately, “In the Hurricane’s Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory of Yorktown” is a great read. In true Philbrick style, it features a flowing narrative with engaging details and interesting anecdotes about America’s struggle to gain its independence while providing insight into Washington’s brilliance as one of the leading military commanders of his era.